April 12, 2024 By Carol Britton Meyer

School Facilities Committee Chair Jason Earls expressed frustration at Wednesday’s School Committee meeting, emphasizing the need for the School Committee to work more cooperatively with the facilities committee to successfully accomplish their shared goals and objectives for the Cohasset Public Schools and to enhance communication between the two committees.

“Think of us as your facilities department for the schools,” he told the committee. “[The School Facilities Committee] will get you what you need. We need your support — we have to all be on the same page.”

Earls noted that “in certain circles in this town, if [a recommendation or other information] comes out of my committee, it holds a little more weight than if it’s coming out of the School Committee.”

The facilities committee can do “all the background work [for particular projects] and come to the front for you all with answers and recommendations,” Earls said, as well as assist the School Committee with long-term capital planning and routine maintenance of the school buildings.

‘Road map’ needed

School Committee Chair Lance Dial told Earls the committee needs a “road map” to help address the estimated $60 million of potential work needing to be done at the Cohasset Middle-High School and the Deer Hill and Osgood elementary schools.

He was referring to an earlier 214-page existing conditions report on the town’s three schools by Ai3 Architects. The study — which is posted on the School Facilities Committee webpage — identifies the benefits and specific opportunities for improvement as well as deficiencies in all three school facilities as the first step to a long-term plan to meet the needs of CPS students. The study recommended a “comprehensive renovation and addition [or new building]” to the MSHS as a top priority.

The School Facilities Committee is a key player in the town’s submission of a Statement of Interest to the Massachusetts School Building Authority — expected soon — for potential partial funding for such a project.

The Facilities Committee is charged with serving at the direction of the School Committee “and working with the Superintendent of Schools, Town Manager, and other town personnel, committees, and consultants to advance the goals of the School Committee  relative to the addition, renovation, and/or construction of new school facilities in the district” and providing regular updates to the School Committee and Select Board.

That said, Dial suggested expanding the charge of that committee, with further discussion at a future School Committee meeting.
Wednesday, April 24, is the date of the next School Committee meeting. Check the town website for further information.